Liar's Dice

Core Rules

1. Overview

Liar's Dice is a bluffing and probability game played with hidden dice. Players make claims about how many dice of a certain number exist across the entire table. Players must either raise the claim or challenge it. If a claim is challenged and proven false, the player who made the claim loses a die. If the claim is correct, the challenger loses a die. The last player with dice remaining wins.

5. Rolling Dice

All players shake and roll their dice privately. You may look at your own dice but must keep them hidden from the other players.

6. Making Claims

A claim is a statement about how many dice of a certain number exist across all players' dice. Examples: three 3s, four 5s, six 2s. A claim means there are at least that many of that number across the entire table.

7. Wild Ones

Ones are wild. This means a one can count as any number when checking most claims. Example: if the claim is four 5s, then both 5s and ones count toward the total. Important exception: if the claim itself is ones, then only actual ones count.

8. Player Turn Options

On your turn you must do one of the following: raise the claim, call liar, or call spot on (optional house rule). You may not pass.

9. Raising the Claim

To raise the claim you must make a higher claim than the previous one. Claims must follow the betting rules described later in this document.

10. Calling Liar

Instead of raising the claim, you may challenge the previous player by saying liar. All players reveal their dice. Count the matching dice across the table. Remember: ones count as wild unless the claim was about ones. If the claim was true or higher than stated, the challenger loses one die. If the claim was false, the player who made the claim loses one die.

11. Losing Dice

When a player loses a die, it is removed from the game permanently. Players with no dice remaining are eliminated.

12. Starting the Next Round

The player who lost a die begins the next round. All remaining players roll their remaining dice again.

13. End of the Game

The game ends when only one player has dice remaining. That player wins.

14. Optional House Rules

These rules may be used if the table agrees before the game begins.

A. Spot On

Instead of raising the claim or calling liar, a player may call spot on. This means the player believes the previous claim is exactly correct. All players reveal their dice. If the claim is exactly correct, every other player loses one die and the player who called spot on loses nothing. If the claim is not exactly correct, the player who called spot on loses one die.

Alternate spot on variant: some tables play a softer version. If a player calls spot on and the claim is exactly correct, the caller regains one die they previously lost instead of causing other players to lose dice. If the caller already has the maximum number of dice, nothing happens. If the claim is not exactly correct, the caller still loses one die.

B. Opening Bet Minimum

To prevent extremely low opening bets, the table may require a minimum opening claim at the start of each round. The opening claim must be at least half the number of players, rounded up.

• Three players: minimum opening bet is two.
• Four players: minimum opening bet is two.
• Five players: minimum opening bet is three.
• Six players: minimum opening bet is three.

The opening player may choose any face value, but the quantity must meet the minimum requirement. Example with five players: legal opening bets are three 2s, three 4s, three 6s. Illegal opening bets are two 5s and one 6. This rule speeds up the early game and prevents obvious low bets.

C. No Wild Ones

In this variant, ones are not wild. All dice only count as the number actually shown.

D. Palifico Round

In this variant, special rules apply when a player is reduced to one remaining die. When a player loses their second to last die, the next round becomes a palifico round.

• Ones are not wild.
• After the first claim is made, the face value of the claim cannot change.
• Players may only increase the quantity of the claim.

Example: opening claim three 4s. Legal raises: four 4s, five 4s, six 4s. After the palifico round ends, the game returns to normal rules.

E. Interrupt Challenge

In this variant, players may challenge a claim out of turn. At any time after a claim is made, a player may interrupt and call liar. The round stops immediately and all dice are revealed. Because the challenge was made out of turn, the risk is greater. If the claim was true, the interrupting player loses two dice. If the claim was false, the player who made the claim loses one die as normal.

15. Betting Rules Reference

Claim Format

All bets follow this structure: quantity + face value. Examples: three 3s, four 2s, five 6s. Each claim means there are at least that many of that number across the table.

Legal Raises

A new claim must be higher than the previous claim. A claim is considered higher if it increases either the quantity of dice or the face value of the dice.

Example: previous claim three 3s. Legal raises include three 4s, three 5s, three 6s, four 1s, four 2s, four 3s, four 4s. Four 2s is a legal raise over three 3s because the quantity increased.

Sixes Rule

If the current claim is already sixes, the face value cannot increase further. Example: four 6s. Legal raises: five 1s, five 2s, five 3s, five 4s, five 5s, five 6s.

Illegal Raises

A bet is illegal if it does not exceed the previous claim. Example: previous claim three 3s. Illegal bets include three 2s, three 3s, two 6s.